It’s not about degrees, it’s about work ethic, experience, and the current state of journalism, which is prioritizing all the wrong things. I don’t think it’s as simple as abolishing the influencer red carpet host. I think we need to question who is being platformed and why. For those of us who genuinely love music, film, TV, and pop culture, and who want to see our favourite stars asked interesting, engaging, unique, fun, or informative questions, we’re watching that era slip away. Influencers rarely challenge stars or ask follow-up questions. They rarely have the background knowledge or the aptitude to engage in real journalism. They are personalities. And that’s OK. There’s a place for that, and sometimes, that place is a red carpet. But the more that mediocre white creators are given platforms, the more blunders like Hannah Berner’s are going to happen. It’s too easy to just blame the influencers. The entire celebrity interview ecosystem is flawed. Entertainment journalism needs an overhaul and, like most big questions, the answer is to invest in Black women.
